Pretty much non of those things are necessary to me (what the hell does anyone want a barometer for), and screens size with my eye sight DOES matter .. yes, I know I could zoom, but it's not the same .. and I'm just so damn comfortable with my netbook.

They are still making netbooks .. though they seem to be turning more into mini laptops .. who's idea was it to install WinLOL and bung a HDD in them all

Android Tablets (oddly, more what I had in mind when starting to play devils advocate than smartphones), are IMHO completely worthless junk.

So screen size (and failing eye sight) dictate a smartphone wouldn't be much use (or get used much), and tablets don't match the ease of use or functionality of my netbook.

Sticking with what I have as I really don't need a barometer, and "me, jogging" .. get serious

Me too! I love my Dell netbook- it is cute and light and very easy for me to carry if need be ( and I'm a little person). I got it a nice carry case that fits in my rucksack.

I had a look at tablets a few weeks ago and realised I do not need one! Netbook does all I need ( and also got this big laptop I'm using at the mo). Barometer? Rather have an old fashioned wooden one.

Logged

In a world without fences and walls, who needs Gates and Windows?

Using two computers- Peppermint on old HP laptop and Mint on new Dell netbook.

Mmm, when I have to I carry my 17" in a rucksack too .. but it's not as convenient as putting a phone in one's pocket.

Still you might be right .. however .. there is a body of evidence that suggests the vast majority of of the population is going to go with Tablets, and indeed there was an article on the The Register recently saying that the last netbook producer was stopping production.

Yup, pity though .. but you can't blame the manufacturers following the money I suppose

Just because the majority choose something doesn't prove it's the "best" ... oddly people often choose the worst option, take the national diet, or Windows, or Big Brother type TV, etc.

There's a saying "people get what they deserve" .. well I must have done something deserving serious punishment if I'm to be forced to use an Android tablet

I'm very attached to my netbook(s) and I'll cry, scream, stamp my feet, and generally throw a hissy fit if/when I can no longer have one. (I'll figure something out .. smallest, most efficient notebook I can find, and swap out the HDD for an SSD )

How about a tablet stand from PC world for a fiver, and a Bluetooth keyboard for £15 .. then you can either SSH to a real Linux box, or reinstall the tablet with Ubuntu mobile, Sailfish or similar .. how is this so different to a netbook ??

What will be different (ref; Nexus10 @ £319)

a. The screen will be (stupidly) better (Nexus10, 2560 x 1600) + Gorilla glass + touchb. The onboard graphics is so quick / smooth it'll burn your eyesc. The WiFi is likely to be betterd. It'll will probably be quicker (1.7G dual core)e. It'll have all the sensors / toys that you'll apparently never need (until you do)f. It's got a HDMI port so you can output movies to your big screeng. It'll be (on average) less than half the weight of a Netbookh. The battery will last longer than the "best" Netbook availableetc etc ...

Now you can tell me you'll never need or care about most of that stuff, but you can't argue with the screen quality, battery life and performance and for a price that undercuts most decent Netbooks (Acer P2 starts @ £350) !!!

Mmm, don't think so. Anyone who's worried about being tracked can simply switch out their SIM for a PAYG ... (or switch it off .. or stick it in a foil wallet .. )

I'm glad they did fail, but the "why" is still a bit hazy to me ..(cost? incompetence? the fact they they'll typically let you track the people you're not interested in?)

- and the people they wanted ID cards "for" are far less likely to be owning a smartphone (registered in their name ...)

What I'm finding really interesting at the moment is the ping-pong between Google, M$ and the NSA. For the (first time ever?) Google is working with M$ to sue the US government, wonderfully entertaining.

Google/M$ :: Dear Mr Government, if we don't disclose how much information we give you, nobody will use our services and we'll go out of business.Government :: Dear Google/M$, once we disclose how much information you give us, you'll go out of business anyway!

So .. if you want any sort of privacy what-so-ever, don't use an email hosting company that's on the NSA's radar!

ID cards were never about catching terrorists (how would that work ?) .. they were about keeping tabs on everyone else .. do they keep their phones switched off and in foil.

Or is your average criminal .. you know the guy who puts a bag over his head to hide his identity fro the security cameras, but leaves his company logo t-shirt on .. really that smart.

I just figure when smartphone took off they decided ID cards were no longer neccessary .. how long till all the cameras that are watching you, and using facial recognition (inaccurate) are also grabbing your ID from your "always on/always connected" phone .. jeez it's as close to RFID chipping kids at birth as their likely to get for the time being, though that's coming too

They've already proven over and over they have no qualms about intercepting your comms and/or trampling your privacy in the name of anti-terrorism .. keep em scared they'll let us do anything, particularly as they're too busy playing angry birds to notice.

They'll sell (and probably believe) the idea that anyone WITHOUT a smartphone they can grab/analyse data from is suspicious.

And the dumb-a** public will fall for it (as it doesn't require them to change their behaviour) whereas carrying ID cards would have been mandated .. big brother gets a MUCH better tool and joe public never even looked up from fekbook.

I just figure when smartphone took off they decided ID cards were no longer neccessary .. how long till all the cameras that are watching you, and using facial recognition (inaccurate) are also grabbing your ID from your "always on/always connected" phone .. jeez it's as close to RFID chipping kids at birth as their likely to get for the time being, though that's coming too

Just another anti social aspect of the smartphone age, but it's nobody else's fault but our own

freedom is hard fought but easily lost

Logged

If you can keep your head while all around are losing theirs, then you're not quite grasping the situation

Quite possibly, but for the record I will never carry one, I own multiple phones and a foil pouch, and I won't ever be driving a car with a GPS tracker (Mr Cameron) unless I can find an effective foil shield for it.

As Mr Fassbender states in X-Men 1st Class;

Quote

The first stage is identification ...

.. and there's no point in telling me I would have to because I've never been that good at doing what I'm told... if they were to tell me that I'm not allowed to carry an ID card they'd have more of a chance ...

Just plugged in an "Owl Intuition" to monitor my electricity usage (for the house) and I now have an app running on my phone to tell me what the current usage is, in Watts and p/hr. (changes every 5s) Just wandered round the house and come to the conclusion my fridge is costing between £250 and £300 a year to run. Also discovered another reason why I should be drinking water instead of coffee .. (!)